Good Community College Pilot Programs?

[Flightjock30]

I mentor several student pilots in my hometown and one asked me about reputable community college aviation programs? Obviously for four year aviation colleges Embry Riddle, UND, and Purdue are top notch as well as several more.

The real advantage I see to going to a community college flight program is that you usually graduate after two years with all of your ratings (CFI tickets too!) rather than four years. You could begin instructing right at 20-21 years old in that case. Another advantage if you could transfer those credits to a 4 year college and major in something other than aeronautical science in the end to have a backup.

My question therefore is: Does anyone know of the top rated community college aviation programs in the US?

 

[English]

MTSAC, Mount San Antonio College, in Walnut, California. SoCal.

www.mtsac.edu

 

[wakeboard]

The only thing is if that they want to pursue an airline career, they would be better off with a four year college degree. If I was them I would go to a community college for two year, while minor in let's say marketing. After two years you get out with your CFI and instruct my last two years while attending school. Kill two birds with one stone - making money and building hours and getting a four year degree.

 

[Peace]

check out Southeastern Oklahoma State University

Hey

why dont you check out www.sosu.edu they have a very good four year program at almost the same cost as a local community college.

SOSU has a very good and old program producing many good airline pilots.

 

[wild bill kelso]

Colorado Northwestern Comunity College

 

[Steveair]

UND has satellite campuses in Spokane, WA, Crookston, MN, Honolulu, and Williston, ND. They are through community colleges but you would have to come to Grand Forks to do your CFI/CFII. Otherwise, you can do everything at the satellite. I went to UND right after High School and I started instructing when I was 21. As soon as you have your CFI, you are eligible to be hired with UND and can work part-time.

UND is relatively inexpensive, has a good reputation, and you get some benefits (reduced times), with a few airlines. Instructors get insurance here too!

 

[Singlecoil]

A lot of Alaska and Horizon pilots went to Big Bend Community College. http://www.bigbend.edu/Programs+of+Study/Academic+Transfer/Aviation/

 

[bobbysamd]

Community college aviation programs

If you think about it, MAPD is a community college aviation program because the A.S. degree in Aviation Technology from San Juan College is required.

Cochise College in Arizona has been around forever and has had a good aviation program.

I have a friend who is a fed at the Portland, Oregon FSDO. She used to rave about the Lane Community College aviation program. I knew her from before she went to work for the FAA, and if she says it's good, it is.

Finally, I've heard that Aims Community College in Greeley, Colorado has a good aviation program.

I second the statement above wholeheartedly that it's important to earn a four-year degree eventually.

Hope this helps some more. Good luck with your choice of schools.

 

[pilotyip]

Bobby?

Are you recommending this pilot not get a degree? After all a graduate of a community college does not have a 4-yr. degree. He would fall into the being hired without a degree column. If you want to fly airplanes make the flying your primary pursuit; the degree can be done on the side to open doors after you have built your experience base. You can fly full time and do an on-line degree, but you can not go to school time and build meaningful resume flight time.

 

[bobbysamd]

No, Yip

Are you recommending this pilot not get a degree? After all a graduate of a community college does not have a 4-yr. degree.

(emphasis added)

Please re-read what I wrote above:

I second the statement above wholeheartedly that it's important to earn a four-year degree eventually.

He would fall into the being hired without a degree column.

(emphasis added)

Define "degree." Since when is a two-year degree not a degree????? A two-year degree is still better than no degree at all.

You can fly full time and do an on-line degree, but you can not go to school time and build meaningful resume flight time.

There you go, again. That is not true at all, Yip. There are Riddle students who get on as instructors in its Flight Fellowship program who build time while in school. I'm sure other aviation schools have similar programs.

Again, so many people with all good intentions never go back to school or finish their degree on-line.

Come on, Yip. You can do better than that. Because I can guess where this is heading, I will save everyone time and post this link to the last grand degree debate.

Finally, there is always the aviation degree v. non-aviation degree debate. So, how is this for food for thought? Earn a two-year aviation degree, transfer to a four-year school, and finish a four-year degree in something else. While I would still submit that the non-aviation degree would not be that helpful without experience in the field, maybe that would be the best of both worlds.